I'M still trying to come to terms with the news that a Premier League footballer has blown £15million on gambling during his career.

Those losses amount to roughly a million quid a year, which suggests that a) he has been earning far too much, or b) he's been reading this column.

I am not normally a guy who likes to ridicule people with gambling problems, I am normally a guy who likes to play poker with them, but if blokes earning thousands of pounds a week are looking to redistribute their wealth, then I say let them. If God didn't want us to gamble he wouldn't have given us betting-shop pens.

I speak as someone who a year ago found that gambling was affecting his home life and did the courageous thing - I stopped going home.

Read More

Ultimately in gambling it doesn't really matter whether you win or lose; what matters is whether I win or lose. And I'm determined to go out on a high after a season which has seen me blow more money than Manchester United.

The problem is that it's the final week of the Premier League season and freak results are not merely possible, they are expected, which is unexpected.

Manchester United drew 5-5 with West Brom on the final day of the season four years ago and, if memory serves, have drawn every game since.

It was only nine years ago that Middlesbrough, Liverpool's opponents this Sunday, hosted Manchester City on the final day of the season and beat them 8-1. That result even now seems difficult to believe until you recall that City's manager that day was Sven Goran Eriksson.

Middlesbrough have brought a new approach to the Premier League – the ability to lose ugly.

Read More

A haul of 27 goals in 37 Premier League games tells its own story – and it's not a story I want to listen to.

The Doomsday Clock goes forward more than Boro.

I was at the Riverside a few weeks ago and bought a Golden Goal ticket, that chance for riches if you happen to have written on your stub the exact minute and second the first goal is scored.

I opened my ticket and it read: “October.”

Adam Lallana of Liverpool celebrates scoring his sides third goal during the Premier League match between Middlesbrough and Liverpool at Riverside Stadium on December 14, 2016 in Middlesbrough, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

It's usual in the closing months of the season for newspapers to print 'remaining fixtures' for the sides involved in the relegation dogfight.

For Middlesbrough those fixtures were printed in September.

Boro boss Steve Agnew has done a good job under the circumstances. The circumstances being that he's Boro boss.

Boro have won four matches in 2017 – against Sheffield Wednesday, Accrington, Oxford, and Sunderland, the last three by the narrowest of margins.

In those matches they had something to play for. At Anfield on Sunday they have nothing to play for while Liverpool need three points to guarantee a Champions League place.

It looks the biggest mis-match since Jay-Z hooked up with Beyonce so it's no wonder Jurgen Klopp's men are as short as 1-6.

Divock Origi of liverpool scores the second and celebrates during the Premier League match between Middlesbrough and Liverpool at Riverside Stadium on December 14, 2016 in Middlesbrough, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Now I didn't get where I am today by backing 1-6 winners. I got where I am today by backing 1-6 losers. You'll have guessed where I am by now – Skid Row.

The job of any self-respecting tipster, and me, is to try to make money on a match in which bookies appear to have all the angles covered (maybe Klopp should put try one of those bookies in goal).

I've a sneaking suspicion Liverpool will run riot against Agnew's clowns and would suggest the 9-4 quoted for them to win by more than three goals looks nailed on.

And I wouldn't put anyone off a dabble on Gino Wijnaldum at 3-1 to get on the scoresheet, although I recognise that merely by recommending that bet, I have already put most of you off it.